Look up
by seafox
Summary: Sulu was a focused man. He never really looked up from his work, untill one day he did. And he was surprised. And he had to take a drink, of course.


**Hello. It's been a while since I last posted a fic here, and as you may notice, this is the first time I publish a story in Star Trek world. This one is about Chekov and Sulu - truth is that just there aren't enough fics about them. So I was watching the movie the other day and it just came to me. I hope you enjoy.**

**Please forgive the grammar mistakes, English is not my mother language and since it's been a while, I am a little rusty.**

Look up

The post of Enterprise's navigator apparently repelled good officers, not many of them remained very long. So, after three or four nameless guys, Sulu just didn't bother to give them faces anymore. There had been a Mrs. Mann, who was somewhat nice, but not that good of a navigator.

For some reason, though, that day he looked up. Maybe he was just bored, maybe it was the Russian accent that caught his attention.

"Ensign Pavel Chekov, presenting for duty, sir."

Ensign Pavel Chekov was a fairly young man, reasonably skinny and covering his forehead a bit of rustled brownish hair. He was standing nervously in front of Kirk and that made a shadow of a smile appear on Sulu's eyes, he sometimes forgot the effect the captain could have on younger officers.

"Welcome aboard, Mr. Chekov. You may assume your post."

"Thank you, Captain." Chekov smiled with sheer enthusiasm and took his new chair. He smiled brightly to the Asian "Wery nice to meet you, Pavel Chekov."

"Commander Hikaru Sulu." He nodded back with his usual polite smile and held the Russian boy stare for a while before returning his attention to his panel. This new guy seemed ok, maybe he was even an ok navigator as well.

A few months gone and Chekov was still there. He was "wery" vocal about his opinions on crisis situations and could be short tempered under provocation, other than that, Sulu didn't know much about him. Probably because of himself, who was more of the reserved type; stars passing by were usually more fascinating than people around who would eventually leave their post for one reason or another.

It was a calm day at the bridge. The captain was somewhere on the lower decks, listening to Spock and Dr. McCoy's bickering. Uhura was on rec room and Sulu had the conn. He kind of liked that way, especially when everything was so smooth. No alien invasion for a week! Which was odd, of course, and could only mean that something unexpected was about to happen – we all know how these stories go. And it did.

"You know, Commander Sulu, this technology of panel lights was inwented in Russia. Just as many other things." Suddenly said a very proud Chekov.

The statement had come so out of the blue, so out of nowhere, that was left hanging around in the air for a moment before Sulu simply laughed. Not in disdain, just a good old fresh laugh.

"Is that so, Ensign?" he said, not looking up from his work, but still chuckling a bit "And what else did your people invent?"

"Many, many things. Sliding doors and hamburgers, for example."

Sulu laughed a bit more, slightly pleased at the fun situation that had presented itself for no apparent reason, and even though he wasn't really seeing it, he was sure the navigator had his 'it-was-inwented-in-Russia' smile.

Strangely enough, that became their "connection", so to speak. Every now and then Chekov would mention some "Russian invention" and Sulu would generally end up laughing; sometimes, when the day was being rough, he would even anticipate slightly anxious for the inwention of the day.

At first he thought the young navigator would be offended by his attitude, but Chekov seemed to like the fact that he made his superior officer smile. Well, who wouldn't? Either way, Sulu was satisfied that the ensign was good at his job, he felt he could get used to a same good old friendly face by his side every day.

Yet, it took a little while for Sulu to really look at Chekov, to actually capture some details about him. Or rather, as it happened, be captured by it.

The day was another of those rare tranquil ones, they had just determined their new course and while Kirk and Spock confabulated something by the captain's chair, Sulu and Chekov were being agile at their control panel. And, of course, when you work side by side with someone, sometimes, fingers brush on each other by accident, it's completely normal. However, as soon as their hands touched, the Russian immediately froze, a reaction that both surprised and confused Sulu. That was a normal event on the helm, it was almost curious it hadn't happened earlier. Was Chekov one of those people who freaked out about personal space?

Amused, he turned to the young man by his side and saw a blushing Russian with the head down. Was Chekov… embarrassed? Hardly! It was not like him. And it was just a normal thing of the job. Maybe he wasn't feeling well, he _had_ been very quiet all day long.

"Mr. Chekov, is everything all right?" Sulu asked, slightly worried, and end up catching the Command's attention.

"Ju-just a little fewerish, sir." He answered hesitantly "I'll be fine."

"Still you better check this with Dr. McCoy, we can't have a sick man on the bridge." Kirk intervened "You are relieved for today, Ensign."

Chekov, apparently lost of words, simply nodded and stood. The whole time, the whole way from the panel to the door, Sulu watched him attentive, he just couldn't avert his eyes away, even when the Russian was already gone.

"Eyes on the helm, Mr. Sulu" Kirk said, his voice half commanding half amused.

Sulu didn't even answer. He turned to look ahead, but for some reason the image of Chekov was still in his mind. Why? It hadn't been anything to cause much impact. The navigator had his cheeks flushed pink and his hair was falling over his eyes. It was… nothing but… adorable.

The next day there was something different about Chekov. Maybe he was a bit quiet, maybe his hair was more lustrous… or maybe Sulu just hadn't seen enough of him, he was not very sure. The fact was that he simply wouldn`t stop looking at the Russian; weather it was just a stolen glance or a hidden stare, his eyes always found their way to his companion. He wanted to see him blush again. Not only that, Sulu wanted to find out if all the other expressions of the navigator were that cute. And they were more than that, he could quite describe it, he just knew he could not stop looking.

"Eyes on the helm, Mr. Sulu." Came Kirk's grave and slightly impatient voice, breaking his trance and embarrassing him.

Doing as he was told, Sulu kept inside an exasperated sigh. Obviously the captain had seen what had been happening; otherwise there wouldn't be that slightly amusement in his voice. And now Chekov was looking at him curiously! He could only hope the Russian hadn't noticed so he could get through the end of his shift without any more awkward situations.

Unfortunately, as the week went by, things were not the same on the bridge. Chekov wouldn't say a word outside of duty requirement, and Sulu missed their conversations and little laughs when the captain was out. Not even a single Russian invention was pointed out to brighten his day. He was starting to get desperate, because just looking was not enough anymore, he wanted to talk, and know. And touch. Had he been a more daring person he would have "accidentally" brushed his hand on Chekov's again.

Finally, Sulu decided to take matters in his own hands. One day he had the conn and there was nothing but a skeleton crew on the bridge, not even Uhura was there.

"Say, Chekov, did you know that noodles were invented in Japan?"

Without looking, he felt the other startle for a moment and a silence fell for a few moments. Sulu was about to fully turn his head to the navigator when the answer came:

"Well, doesn't beat vodka…"

There was a hinge of uncertainty in his voice, but from the corner of his eyes the Asian could see a shy smirk appearing in the Russian's lips, even while he seemed determinate to not look at his senior officer. It was enough to give him hope.

"I don't know. I've never tasted vodka."

Chekov's reaction was exactly what he was hoping for. The ensign turned his head to him with something like offense in his eyes.

"But this is absurd! How come you'we newer tasted the finest of Russia's drink? Of the world's drink?"

It was probably the first time the two of them looked directly at each other since that first day when Chekov had arrived, and Sulu wanted that to happen more, especially if the other was going to be cute like that. A few seconds after the outburst, the young ensign started to blush, but he didn't look away.

"Well, then, maybe you could show me. We could have a drink after the shift's end." Sulu said lowly so the other members of the crew wouldn't listen.

Instantly, Chekov's cheeks grew redder, and an exciting theory began to develop in Sulu's mind. He would have given anything for that moment to last more. But, of course, Kirk had to return that exact moment with Spock on his tail, forcing them to return their attention to their panels.

Sulu was extremely frustrated! He was almost there, he was—

Suddenly, he heard a very subtle cough from Chekov and discretely acknowledged him with his eyes, hopeful.

"I would like to, Commander." Chekov whispered while blushing madly and Sulu couldn't avoid but smiling, having to turn his face down to hide his happy face from possible curious eyes behind them.

Later, Sulu found himself pacing anxiously through his quarters. Chekov's shift had ended a bit earlier than his and now he could not find him anywhere. Maybe he had found other plans? Maybe—

Then, he heard footsteps outside his door. When he opened he found Chekov turning away from his quarters.

"Chekov?"

The Russian stopped in his place immediately and took a few moments to turn around. It was with great satisfaction that Sulu noticed the bottle in his hands.

"Hi, Commander." He said staring at the ground "I was not sure if we were supposed to meet at the—ah—so I thought, maybe… Well…"

"Why don't you come in?" Sulu said already stepping in, trying not to smile too much, especially when Chekov followed him.

He told his friend to make himself comfortable and went to get a couple of cups.

"So, let's see what is so special about this Russian drink of yours."

"Ewerything that comes from Mother Russia is special!" Chekov told him proudly while pouring vodka for them.

"Well, can't say I disagree with you." Sulu answered staring at him intently, a simple but meaningful smirk on his face. He could certainly think of one Russian son that was special, he was there blushing right in front of him while handing him a glass.

"What shall we drink too?" Chekov asked, a somewhat permanent blush in his face while he pretended to find the carpet very worthy of his attention.

Sulu wondered for a moment and remembered from that day on the bridge when their finger brushed.

"To looking up." He lifted his vodka, watching to see if Chekov had taken the hint. It was hard to tell, but his cheeks did seem to redden a bit more.

"To looking up." Chekov followed and drank it all at once, as a true borne son from Russia.

Sulu imitated him and was instantly flooded with a burning sensation running down his throat. It was cold and yet it burned like fire, it made him numb at the same time it made him aware, it demanded a deep breath of him. For a brief moment he wondered in his liquor if Chekov would be like that too. Probably better, he decided.

"So… what do you think?" Chekov asked quietly, looking at the ground.

"It's… hard to describe, but it's very good. But I can't say it's the best thing I have ever taken." Sulu lowered his voice and approached the ensign "I would have to taste something else from Russia to compare."

"Oh?" it was all the Russian managed out of his mouth, definitely aware of how close they were.

Sulu then approached even more and with his left arm he surrounded the other's waist. He leaned his head close to the Russian's ear. "Chekov?"

"Hm?"

"Look up."

Slowly – adorably, shyly and surprisingly sexy – Chekov looked up. His eyes were closed and he shivered a bit when he felt Sulu's hand touch his cheek, but when their lips met, he simply melted away in the taller man's arms.

Sulu sighed and deepened the kiss. Better than vodka, for sure.

Deep inside his mind, a part of him was already anticipating how hard it would be to concentrate on work when the next shift came, which is exactly why he chose to lose himself even more in the sensations of kissing and embracing Chekov. Because you see, he was drunk with the warmth they were creating between them, with the feeling of dancing tongues and caressing hands and joyful acceptance of each other. He would gladly face a hangover during his next shift if he could get drunk from Chekov again after it.

The next day, he tried not to think if it was too much suspicious that they both came in late to assume their posts. He didn't even have to look at their colleagues to be sure that at least Kirk and Uhura had seen the red mark on Chekov's neck. And with the way they were behaving – practically unable to keep their eyes out f each other – only Spock's stoic personality would be unaware of the situation.

It didn't really matter. When their hands brushed during work, Sulu didn't need to look up to know they would share a drink again later.

**Well, this is it. If you feel like it, I am open to critics =)**

**Thank you for reading.**

**seafox**


End file.
